Printing attachment for envelope-folding machines



March 26, 1929. o E, B, BERKOwn-Z 1,706.433

PRINTI'NG TTACHMENT FOR ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINES ATTORNEY March 26', 1929. E. B. BERKowlTZ PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENVELOPE FOLDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 19, .1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY v Patented .Man 26, 1929e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUG-ENE B. BERKOWITZ, F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO BALTIMORE PAPER COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENVELOIPE-FOLDING MACHINES.

Application filed August 19, 1927. Serial No. 214,083.

My invention relates to printing `attachments for envelope-folding machlnes and more particularly to apparatus for receiving envelopeslfrom the folding mechanism and delivering the same to the printing mechanism, the principal object of the invention being to synchronize delivery of the envelopes with operation of the printing mechanism to effect the printing in the proper position on the envelopes during continuous oper-ation of the several elements.

In accomplishing this object I have pro.- vided improved details of structure, the preerred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rear portion of an envelope-folding machine, a printing mechanism and an intermediate delivery apparatus for receiving folded envelopes from the folding machine and delivering the same to the printing mechanism.

Fi 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the l1ne 2-2, Fig 1, showing certain parts not appearing in Fig. 1 and omitting others there shown. i

Referrin more in detail to the drawings:

1 and 2 esignate the side frame members of an envelope-folding machine of .any ordinary construction, comprising a conve or belt 3 and feed rollers 4, 5 and 6, the rol ers 5 and 6 being in such relation to the roller 4 as to direct the folded envelopes into the intermediate delivery apparatus hereinafter described, and the roller 6 being preferably a gravity member supported on arms 7 pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft 8.

The printing mechanism Apreferably comrises side frame members 9 and 10 located tween the folding machine frame members 1 and 2 and supporting the transverse shafts 11 and 12 and carrying the aired printing and tympan cylinders 13 and 14; the cylinder 13 carrying a printing plate or type 15 exposed'through the periphery of the cylinder to .print upon an envelope passed between the cylinder and roller. The plate or type 15 may be removably mounted in a radial socket 16 Ain the cylinder 13 and locked in place byl a set screw 17 applied throu h a perip eral socket 18 in the cylin er.

Located forwardly of the printing cylinders 13 andI 14 is a pair of rollers 19 and 20 for receiving envelopes fromthe delivery if; apparatus and guiding the same between the printing cylinders. 21, 22 and 23 designate lnking rollers constructed and arranged in co-operative relation with the printing cylinders in accordance with common ractice.

Mountedon the side frame mem ers 1 and 2 of the folding machine is a transverse shaft 24 operable through suitable gearing, indicated at 25; and adjustably mounted on said shaft by means of the set screws 26 are paired drums 27 having equally spaced bosses 28 in their rims provided with radial sockets 29 for receiving pawls 30 which are keyed in the sockets and attached to the bosses by the screws 31. The pawls project beyond the peripheries of the band wheels to act as forwarding teeth, and for aligning the envelope for delivery to the printing rolls, as presently described. v

Also attached to the side frame members 1 and 2 is a transversebracket 32 supporting bearing blocks 33 carrying a shaft 344on which is axially mounted a pair of arms 35. Rotatably mounted on pins 36 on said 'arms are guide rollers 37 spaced correspondingly to the drums 27 and yieldingly urged to contact with the drums by springs 38 attached to the arms and to posts 39 carried by the brackets 32.

40 designates an arcuate track preferably of sheet metal, attached at its forward end to blocks 41 on the bracket 32 by a screw 42, and supported on its rear end by a bracket 43 which may be attached to the printing frame 10. The forward end of the track 40 is bent outwardly between the guide rollers 37 Lto form a mouth between the track and the band wheel and the rear end of the track is bent rearwardly to form a delivery platform terminating adjacent the tangent line between the rollers 19 and 20 of the rintin set. The track 40 is spaced from t e ban wheel suliciently to provide for free travel of an envelope over the track beneath the band wheel when the envelope is enga ed by the band wheel pawls and propelled t ereby while the band wheels are in rotation during operation of the machine.

Fixed to the frame members of the printing mechanism is a transverse bar '44, and attached to said bar /by a screw 45 is a downwardly directed late 46 having a forwardly and downwar y directed portion 47 extending parallel to but in spaced relation to the latform at the rear end of the track 41 an extended between the bands to be en a ed by and to deflect envelopes prope led along the track by the band wheel pawls,`to divert the envelopes to the feed rollers of the printing mechanism.

Paired slotted bars 48 secured to the transverse bracket 32 by bolts 49 carry depending vertical shoes 50 havingv outwardly curved rear ends 51. The shoes are adjustably mounted to contact the ends of envelopes of varying lengths and serve to guide v'the same in transverse relation to the printing mechanism.

The printing mechanism is operated from the delivery apparatus througha belt 52 run over a sprocket wheel 53 on the drum shaft 24 and over a sprocket wheel 54 on the printing cylinder shaft 11, thereby effecting. synchronous operation of the delivery apparatus and printing mechanism to insure contact of the type or printing plate at the same position on each envelope passed through the printing mechanism.

. printing cylinder 13 is adjusted to synchroe With the parts constructed and assembled as described, the operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Envelopes folded in the folding mechanism are delivered by the guide rollers 4, 5

i and 6 to between the drums l27 and the tension rollers 37 so that the envelopes are fed positively onto the arcuate track, to be engaged by the forwarding pawls. When a pair of the forwarding pawls engages the envelope, the latter is propelled along the track until it contacts the part 47 of deflector 46, when it is moved forwardly and upwardly to betweenthe rollers 19 and 2O of the printing mechanism and by such rollers fed between the printing cylinders, where the printing is eected, the pawls aligning the envelope with the printing rolls during forward travel of the envelope along the taplle to insure its proper delivery to the ro s.

The printing cylinder 13 is geared to make one revolution for each set of pawls on the forwarding drum, the ratio for the construction shown in the present drawings being three revolutiens of the cylinder for one revolution of the drum, so that the printing type or plate will enga-ge the envelope presented by each set of the pawls.

When the device is put in operation the nize with the forwarding drums by setting the cylinder relative to its driving sprocket so that the type or plate will register properly on the first envelope delivered by t e pawls. Following envelopes forwarded by continued operation of the drums will similarly register with the printing plate during run of the same sized envelopes. lVhen envelopes of different size are to be run, the printing cylinder is again adjusted to `eHect the printing at desired osition on the envelopes, the pawls remaining in fixed relation on their drums and forwarding envelopes in the same ratio to the printing mechanism irrespective ofsize of the envelo es.

What I claim and desireto secure by etters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described including an arcuate track having an outturned lip at its delivery end, a drum spaced from and rotatable coaxially with the track and having pawls extended from its periphery across the space between the drum and track, and a dellector parallel with said lip and extended across the delivery end of said space.

2. Apparatus of the character described including an arcuate track having outturned lips at its opposite ends forming a receiving mouth and a, delivery latform, a drum spaced from and rotatable coaxially with the track and having pawls extended from its periphery across the space between the drum and track, and a deflector parallel with said delivery platform and extended across the delivery end of said space.

3. Apparatus of the character described including spaced rotatable drums having paired pusher pawls extended from their peripheries, paired rollers yieldingly urged to contact with the eripheries of said drums and an arcuate trac spaced from the drums to receive envelopes delivered from between the drums and rollers, having an outturned lip at one end extended between the rollers and an outturned lip at its other end forming a delive platform, and a deflector overlying sai platform and extended between the drums.

4. In combination with printing mechanism including a printing cylinder and a pair of feeding rolls, a rotatable drum having pusher pawls projecting from its periphery, an arcuate track spaced from the drum having an outturned lip at one end forming a receiving mouth and an outturned lip at its other end forming a delivery platform terminating adjacent said receiving rolls, a deflector overlying said platform and ada ted for directing envelopes forwarded fliom said track tothe printing cylinder, and driving connection between the drum and cylinder for synchronizing operation of the drum and c linder.

5. n combination with printing mechanism including a printing cylinder and a pair of feeding rolls, a rotatable drum having pusher pawls projecting from its periphery, an arcuate track spaced from the drum having an outturned lip at one end forming a receivin mouth and an outturned lip at its other en forming a delivery platform terminating adjacent said receivin rolls, a deflector overlying said platform an adapted for directing envelopes forwarded from said track to the rolls, and driving connection between the drum and printing cylinder for synchronizing operation of the drum and cylinder, the cylmder bein adj ustable for printing in register on enve opes of different widths. o

6. In combination with printing mechanism including rolls, an arcuate track having an end lip extended to deliver an envelope therefrom between the rolls, a drum rotatable coaxially with the arcuate track and spaced from the track to form a assageway between the track and drum, an means'on the drum for forwarding envelopes along the track and overv said 11p.

7. In combination with printing mechaing an end lip extended to deliver an envel lope therefrom between the rolls, a drum rotatable coaxially with the arcuate track and spacedy from the track to form a passageway between the track and drum, means on the drum for forwarding envelopes along the track and over said lip, and means overlying said'lip forming a passageway for directing envelopes over the lip to the rolls.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EUGENE B.y BERKOWITZ. 

